Canadian Politics

[WildPath]

8 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Corus Radio has given Kenney his own radio show for an hour on Saturday mornings in Edmonton & Calgary.

[SpeedFlex27]

Just now, WildPath said:

Just like Latin American tin pot dictators. But in Kenney's case it wouuldn't be a tin pot. It would be an air fryer. 

[Tracker]

12 hours ago, Bigblue204 said:

It's almost like they're Russian themselves...

This makes me wonder how much funding Putin's people funneled into the "trucker" protests as a way of destabilizing Canadian governments and sowing discord, much as they have (with Trump's participation) done in the US.

[Jpan85]

16 hours ago, Mark H. said:

Exactly. The money should be used for green initiatives:

1. Plant trees

2. Research and develop biomass/carbon neutral energy sources

Etc. Etc.

They have invested in a tree planting program called 2 billion trees. The goal is to plant 2 billion trees in the next 10 years. 

[JCon]

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

Where does it go and why are you so sure about that?

If it went into general revenue, it would be a tax. All net funds collected are rebated. 

Here's the Act: Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act

-------------

 

How much are taxpayers really subsidizing Canada's fossil fuel industry?

Edited March 10, 2022 by JCon

[17to85]

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Corus Radio has given Kenney his own radio show for an hour on Saturday mornings in Edmonton & Calgary. I just can't imagine even wanting to listen to that as every UCP staffer calls in with softball questions while other staffers screen who calls him. Just before Kenney's leadership review. It'd pretty obvious Corus wants Kenney to be Premier or they'd have stayed out of it. I'd love it if callers would lie about supporting him & why they're calling in then hit him with tough questions he stumbles to answer. Just make it a complete **** show. 

Kenney will take every step needed to ensure he doesn't have to answer any even remotely hard questions. Guy is a spineless coward. 

Expect all questions to be of the "why are notley and Trudeau such awful people?" Variety. 

[Mark H.]

26 minutes ago, Jpan85 said:

They have invested in a tree planting program called 2 billion trees. The goal is to plant 2 billion trees in the next 10 years. 

That's a good start - I hope we see much more of that

 

[TrueBlue4ever]

21 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Expect all questions to be of the "why are notley and Trudeau such awful people?" Variety. 

So…..The Roy Green Show. 

[HardCoreBlue]

13 hours ago, Bigblue204 said:

It's almost like they're Russian themselves...

No I wouldn't even give them that because there's lots of Russians who are good decent people who want nothing to do with this invasion and just want live their normal lives with their families.

These freedom convoy pricks are simply that, pricks, jerks, self entitled knuckle dragging 'I want freedom from the consequences of my dumb ill-informed, its all about what I want choices'. They're constantly angry with the world about something because they want it to revolve around them and their slimy stupid self entitled individual unrealistic hopes and beliefs and the world doesn't cooperate with them so they've been raised since day 1 and are raising others to continue to hate everything that doesn't look and feel like them. One way to show this drivel is to block traffic, honking their horns really loud and travelling around the country beating their chests like they are doing something important for all of us. 'Look at me with my Canadian flag on a hockey stick, my placards that spew nonsensical drivel'.

Enjoy your fame of the support for your stupidity, it's not going to last forever. 

   

[Wideleft]

A very timely article.

How much does the fossil fuel industry actually get from taxpayers? 

That depends on who you ask, how they define a subsidy and what data is used to calculate the total — resulting in highly variable estimates. 

In Canada in 2020, estimates range from $4.5 billion (OECD) to $18 billion (Environmental Defence, including public financing to support pipelines) to $81 billion (IMF, including externalities), although most reports note that a lack of transparency makes complete and accurate calculations difficult. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/fossil-fuel-subsidies-expaliner-1.6371411

[Bigblue204]

1 hour ago, Tracker said:

This makes me wonder how much funding Putin's people funneled into the "trucker" protests as a way of destabilizing Canadian governments and sowing discord, much as they have (with Trump's participation) done in the US.

Not sure about the $$ but certainly the fake profiles to boost #'s in the social media groups/pages/accounts etc. It's been shown that many extremist facebook groups and even some religious ones are run by bots/trolls. My twitter feed in particular has a lot less Trudeau hate and a lot less "vaccines are killing people" posts since the war started.

[blue_gold_84]

7 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

No I wouldn't even give them that because there's lots of Russians who are good decent people who want nothing to do with this invasion and just want live their normal lives with their families.   

While I agree there are many good Russian people who are disgusted by Putin and his actions, and want peace and cooperation with the rest of the world, I think @Bigblue204 was referring to the malicious ones brainwashed by disinformation and propaganda, blindly supportive of Putin and his and inner circle, falling prey to the narrative Ukraine is controlled by nazis and needs to be liberated, and guilty of spreading that poison to every corner of the online world. There seems to be a parallel there to our own group of misinformed, fearful, hysterical, conspiracy theory spouting assclowns here in Canada, many of whom participated in the protests tantrums roughly a month ago and spent the previous few years going down rabbit holes of utter nonsense and sharing that cancerous garbage on every major social media platform. And it's only getting worse, IMO. Many of these misguided imbeciles are under the impression there's some sinister agenda at play in Ukraine and that Putin is somehow on the side of good. It's completely batshit and it seems like they're too far gone to even be reasoned with anymore.

Information warfare has become significantly more prominent in geopolitics the last few decades, first with the dawn of the internet and then with social media. With the lack of oversight and challenges related to regulation, the online world became a crucial battleground. It should come as no surprise that a former KGB agent could use this new reality to his advantage in undermining western democracy as he rose to power in post-Soviet Russia.

[Bigblue204]

30 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

No I wouldn't even give them that because there's lots of Russians who are good decent people who want nothing to do with this invasion and just want live their normal lives with their families.

These freedom convoy pricks are simply that, pricks, jerks, self entitled knuckle dragging 'I want freedom from the consequences of my dumb ill-informed, its all about what I want choices'. They're constantly angry with the world about something because they want it to revolve around them and their slimy stupid self entitled individual unrealistic hopes and beliefs and the world doesn't cooperate with them so they've been raised since day 1 and are raising others to continue to hate everything that doesn't look and feel like them. One way to show this drivel is to block traffic, honking their horns really loud and travelling around the country beating their chests like they are doing something important for all of us. 'Look at me with my Canadian flag on a hockey stick, my placards that spew nonsensical drivel'.

Enjoy your fame of the support for your stupidity, it's not going to last forever. 

   

Yes of course. But Russia (along with most powerful countries) also have agencies where their only job is to implant misinformation and create division. Russia has been real good at it in North America. Just google Russian Troll farms for some examples. I would bet a lot of money the majority of profiles in those convoy forums aren't actually real people.

[Tracker]

30 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

Not sure about the $$ but certainly the fake profiles to boost #'s in the social media groups/pages/accounts etc. It's been shown that many extremist facebook groups and even some religious ones are run by bots/trolls. My twitter feed in particular has a lot less Trudeau hate and a lot less "vaccines are killing people" posts since the war started.

And, as has been posted here before, the Anti-vaxxers and pseudo-truckers are really pissed that they are no longer in the limelight.

[HardCoreBlue]

1 hour ago, blue_gold_84 said:

While I agree there are many good Russian people who are disgusted by Putin and his actions, and want peace and cooperation with the rest of the world, I think @Bigblue204 was referring to the malicious ones brainwashed by disinformation and propaganda, blindly supportive of Putin and his and inner circle, falling prey to the narrative Ukraine is controlled by nazis and needs to be liberated, and guilty of spreading that poison to every corner of the online world. There seems to be a parallel there to our own group of misinformed, fearful, hysterical, conspiracy theory spouting assclowns here in Canada, many of whom participated in the protests tantrums roughly a month ago and spent the previous few years going down rabbit holes of utter nonsense and sharing that cancerous garbage on every major social media platform. And it's only getting worse, IMO. Many of these misguided imbeciles are under the impression there's some sinister agenda at play in Ukraine and that Putin is somehow on the side of good. It's completely batshit and it seems like they're too far gone to even be reasoned with anymore.

Information warfare has become significantly more prominent in geopolitics the last few decades, first with the dawn of the internet and then with social media. With the lack of oversight and challenges related to regulation, the online world became a crucial battleground. It should come as no surprise that a former KGB agent could use this new reality to his advantage in undermining western democracy as he rose to power in post-Soviet Russia.

Yup I’m just talking about the good ones. Just trying to give them some props.

[Tracker]

11 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Yup I’m just talking about the good ones. Just trying to give them some props.

I would not expect too much protests or support from the Russian public- a poll that I saw on CNN last week indicated that about 60% supported Putin.

[Mark F]

 

"In a poll conducted last week by Reuters, 80% of respondents — including solid majorities of Republicans and Democrats — said they support the idea of not importing any oil from Russia, even if that leads to higher gas prices at the pump. In 2021, the US imported an average of 209,000 barrels per day of crude oil and 500,000 barrels per day of other petroleum products from Russia, according to the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturerstrade association."

 

https://cleantechnica.com/2022/03/05/shock-awe-americans-willing-to-pay-higher-gas-prices-to-defeat-putin/

 

Bellingcat is good at analysis satellite photos, images, text, stories, timelines......They say the Russian online disinformation efforts are beginner / amateurish quality.

 

https://www.bellingcat.com/

 

 

 

Edited March 10, 2022 by Mark F

[FrostyWinnipeg]

 

 

[Mark F]

If you are thinking of voting for a Conservative, in Canada, realize that they are coming for your healthcare. 
 

they will never give up this goal.

 

"In many ways, the long-running battle to save Medicare from privatization is a battle for the soul of Canada. And it’s a battle that’s about to heat up.

On one side are a large number of Canadians, for whom Medicare stands out like a sparkling jewel — a nationwide system dedicated to the proposition that access to health care be based on need, not money.

On the other side are some highly organized, right-wing groups that object in principle to collective, egalitarian solutions like Medicare. Among these well-funded groups are the Fraser Institute and the Canadian Constitutional Foundation, a fiercely anti-government organization that raises funds for court challenges to Medicare."

 

https://rabble.ca/columnists/long-banned-in-ontario-private-hospitals-could-soon-reappear/

 

There are people in power, and people with money and influence, who loath our healthcare system.

[iHeart]

ugh please tell me the other people running for the Conservative Leader seat clapped

 

[Mark H.]

8 minutes ago, iHeart said:

ugh please tell me the other people running for the Conservative Leader seat clapped

 

Incorrect. There are videos that clearly show all MPs clapping - Bergen included.

 

[TrueBlue4ever]

10 hours ago, Mark H. said:

Incorrect. There are videos that clearly show all MPs clapping - Bergen included.

Well, here’s one video clip. 

 

[Mark H.]

13 minutes ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

Well, here’s one video clip. 

 

Your point is that she didn't clap long enough? 

[TrueBlue4ever]

28 minutes ago, Mark H. said:

Your point is that she didn't clap long enough? 

Point is that this is the clip the reporter is basing his statement on, and he’s not incorrect. Like so much of media, sound bites and spin can warp perspective to tailor a narrative to suit a skewed perspective and create confirmation bias. 

[GCn20]

On 2022-03-12 at 3:17 PM, Mark F said:

If you are thinking of voting for a Conservative, in Canada, realize that they are coming for your healthcare. 
 

they will never give up this goal.

 

"In many ways, the long-running battle to save Medicare from privatization is a battle for the soul of Canada. And it’s a battle that’s about to heat up.

On one side are a large number of Canadians, for whom Medicare stands out like a sparkling jewel — a nationwide system dedicated to the proposition that access to health care be based on need, not money.

On the other side are some highly organized, right-wing groups that object in principle to collective, egalitarian solutions like Medicare. Among these well-funded groups are the Fraser Institute and the Canadian Constitutional Foundation, a fiercely anti-government organization that raises funds for court challenges to Medicare."

 

https://rabble.ca/columnists/long-banned-in-ontario-private-hospitals-could-soon-reappear/

 

There are people in power, and people with money and influence, who loath our healthcare system.

LMAO. That is boogey man politics of the highest quality right there. The CPC is not now, and never will be coming after medicare. No political party in Canada ever will. It is political suicide. I don't understand why people equate private clinics, or extension and expansions of current health care by private enterprise as health care being privatized. There can certainly be a healthy balance of public and private medical services paid for by a medicare system. Healthcare becomes privatized when we allow it to go to the highest bidder and set it's own rates for reimbursement of services while eliminating public owned medical services, if set up properly a public/private owned health care service delivery does not do anything but enhance.

Edited March 16, 2022 by GCn20